Palais-Royal

The Palais-Royal is a former royal palace in Paris, France that was built from 1633 to 1639 to serve as the personal residence of Cardinal Richelieu. The palace was originally called the "Palais-Cardinal", but King Louis XIII of France inherited the palace on the Cardinal's death in 1642, leading to it being renamed to the "Palais-Royal". From 1780 onward, the palace was under the stewardship of Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, the cousin of King Louis XVI. Struggling with debts, he opened the gardens of the palace to the public and lined the three arcades with shops. The complex became one of Paris' most popular gathering places, known for its theatres, cafes, gambling dens, and prostitution. On 21 September 1792, Maximilien Robespierre proclaimed the French Republic at the Cafe Fevrier in the palace, and, just a few months later, National Assembly member Louis-Michel le Peletier was assassinated in the cafe by a royalist. The palace was renamed to the Palais d'Egalite as the French Revolution entered a more radical stage. After the Bourbon Restoration, the Dukes of Orleans returned to the palace. In the French Revolution of 1848, the palace was trashed, and it became home to Prince Napoleon Bonaparte under the Second French Empire. Today, the palace hosts the Council of State, the Constitutional Council, and the Culture Ministry.